Patriots legend rips Aaron Rodgers for already being a distraction for the Jets

When it was announced that the Green Bay Packers were trading Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets last year, it was easy to assume his tenure with a new team wasn't going to be smooth sailing most of the time.

The one-time Super Bowl Champion quarterback had a tumultuous last few seasons with the team he spent 18 seasons with. Besides his inability to complete deep playoff runs or make the Super Bowl again since the 2010 season, Rodgers had become a distraction for his teammates and the organization, and not in a good way.

He engaged in many controversial conversations and couldn't find a camera he didn't love. Rodgers also wasn't holding back his criticism of the Packers roster when they lost a game, which didn't help the situation in the locker room.

Some of the drama behind the scenes ultimately led to him seeking a trade, demanding it be with the Jets, which is why the Packers agreed to the deal.

The start of Rodgers' tenure with New York was interesting to follow, even more so when he tore his Achilles after taking four snaps in the opening game of the 2023 season. He remained around for the next several months but decided to be absent this offseason despite the importance of practicing with a new team.

His decision to skip minicamp this year, which head coach Robert Saleh claimed was an unexcused absence. It's the latest chapter in the book of Rodgers' distracting behavior, which Julian Edelman spoke about during a recent appearance on FS1's "The Herd" this week.

Julian Edelman is not a fan of Aaron Rodgers skipping minicamp

Because of how vital and valuable practices were considered in New England under Bill Belichick, especially during Tom Brady's tenure, it's unsurprising to hear Edelman take issue with Rodgers deciding not to go.

Although he proclaimed to be a fan of the quarterback, Edelman shared his dislike of the situation and mentioned how the Jets' record in the first month could dictate how big of a distraction this could eventually become if they don't play well.

"I know a lot of people do things differently, but God forbid the New York Jets start 1-3 to begin the season...

This is gonna be such a big distraction for that locker room, everybody's gonna be talking about it. This is New York, you know, this is the media capital of the world."

Where's the lie?

It might not be that big of a deal to Jets fans or even higher-ups in New York that Rodgers chose to skip minicamp despite it being mandatory. However, as Edelman said, it's not a good look for the quarterback or the team, and it doesn't bode well for Rodgers to declare his efforts to remain out of the headlines due to his behavior.

There's no reason to feel bad for the Jets, though. They knew Rodgers had been problematic in the later years of his career and decided to look the other way anyway.

So they'll have to deal with these shenanigans now and probably again in the future, which is funny for Patriots fans hoping for the Jets' downfall.

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